A Different Valentine ~ Bamboo Ikebana

A regular client in Marin browsed through our “Freestyle Ikebana” tab to find this bamboo ikebana for a distinctive, memorable valentine.  After a few seasonal modifications, it’s ready to go.

I bought lunch boxes (bento) from hawkers on the train platforms in Japan — sometimes they came on board the old trains and sold their ¥100 (28¢) bento to me, sitting next to an open window as the countryside and its flowers rolled by.

Now I sometimes make ikebana reminiscent of the bento .  I display them on my Online Florist page — they look like this:

Bento Ikebana Design Reflects Train Station Lunch Boxes in Japan

When peonies are plentiful in season, the bento ikebana may look like this:

Bento Ikebana — when Peonies are in high season

The Bird of Paradise Ikebana (at left) appears in Yukiko’s new video — a one minute showing of her distinctive style in floral design.

We placed the video in her Yelp!  listing to let viewers differentiate the artistic form of her studio craft from the generic arrangements of flower shops.

No secret: there are many commercial florists listed on Yelp!  Yukiko’s blend of ikebana and contemporary styles stand-out uniquely.

The independent floral design studio enables creative freedom.  Check it out in Yukiko’s video on Yelp!

Yukiko adds lily grass and curly willow to the orchids in this hand-crafted, flat vase (13″ wide, 3″ opening.

Cymbidium Bouquet

Is this design more “ikebana” than “blended contemporary style(s)?”  Let Yukiko know what you think.

Check out the new “freestyle ikebana” and ikebana gallery” blog pictures.

Got blogs?

Early flowering of quince in this mild winter weather inspires Yukiko’s  ikebana of New Year’s kadomatsu and, of course, quince with Marin’s seasonal flowers and berries.

Cymbidium and kale complete this simple yet refined design by Yukiko.

Floral design blends Hawaiian, Ikebana and contemporary styles.

Yukiko starts the new year selecting weekly designs to display in FloralDesignbyYukiko blog on Wednesdays.  She posts additional photogenic designs from her studio as opportunity suggests during the week.

Your comments are always welcome.

Three bamboos with orchids, kale and curley willow symbolize health and prosperity at Smith Ranch Homes in San Rafael.

5′ bouquet in the traditional style of Japanese kadomatsu.

Wed­ding pho­tographs for Jolie and Nori, at the Uni­ver­sity Club in San Fran­cisco, were taken by JAY­TSAIpho­tog­ra­phy . Yukiko noticed that Jay’s pic­tures included nearly all the flo­ral arrange­ments of the Ike­bana Wed­ding Flow­ers theme.
Click to view more of the ikebana flo­ral suite by Yukiko.

Celebration floral design includes Nandina berries from Marin wrapped with curly willow.

Hawaiian and Ikebana motifs blend with contemporary floral design styles by Yukiko.

Fairfax, California, April 2011

Yukiko used Spring flowers in this Rising Orchid design: white phaelanopsis, green spider mums, equisitum and harakeke.  This freestyle ikebana is characterized as respectful and uplifting.

Yukiko designs many sympathy flower arrangements, often in ikebana freestyle,

San Francisco, California, March 2011.